Senatorial candidate Loren Legarda. Contributed photo
MEXICO, Pampanga鈥擜ntique Rep. Loren Legarda said she planned to increase the number of protected areas in the country if she gets elected back to the Senate.
According to Legarda, she authored Republic Act No. 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018, enabling her to help raise the country鈥檚 protected areas from three to 94.
鈥淧agdating ko sa Senado, God-willing, naku, dodoblehin ko yan. We should do more protection. Why? Because we are at the Decade of Ecosystem Restoration by the United Nations,鈥� she told reporters on the sidelines of an election campaign rally on Monday (April 4) night here of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, UniTeam鈥檚 vice-presidential candidate.
Duterte-Carpio came earlier to attend the birthday rally of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is running unopposed in her comeback to Congress.
Legarda said many areas need to be protected to conserve the people鈥檚 sources of food, water, and livelihood.
In Pampanga, she mentioned Mt. Arayat and the Candaba wetlands.
鈥淲hat is important is that the conservation work is funded and the local governments, non-government organizations, and people鈥檚 organizations are engaged,鈥� she said in Filipino.